Device for custom sizing articles of clothing and a method of using the same in a fashionable manner

ABSTRACT

An apparel altering device and a method of using the same is provided. The apparel altering device has a spacer spacing apart a first and second portions. A user interested in altering an article of clothing, may gather or bunch excess material thereof to form a sack, which communicates via an opening to the remaining portion of the material. Before or after the user urges the second portion into the cavity portion defined by the formed sack, an elastic band can choke a neck portion of the sack against the spacer, whereby the article of clothing is taken in or otherwise altered, while the second portion protrudes outside the sack in a manner akin to a fashion accessory.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/567,994, filed 4 Oct. 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to clothing accessories and, more particularly, to a device for custom sizing and altering of articles of clothing and a method of using the same in a fashionable manner.

Needless to say, no one article of clothing fits all body types. Likewise, clothing accessories do not stay in place by themselves. Current clothing alteration methods are, unfortunately, labor intensive, time consuming and require an appropriate set of tools to do oneself. Hiring a professional can be expensive and require a long wait, where many people do not have the time to wait when they get the impulse to wear an article of clothing in need of altering. Current solutions to sizing, altering or otherwise customizing clothing will permanently alter the article of clothing, sometimes damaging the material at the time of application. Such “temporary” approaches, when taken out, reveal the damage to the material rendering the article of no use until the wearer is that size again.

As can be seen, there is a need for a non-permanent solution that does not damage the material and can be reused on multiple items of clothing, enabling clothing to be custom fit on a daily basis as well as adding a unique fashion statement. The present invention includes a device for custom sizing and altering articles of clothing and a method of using the same in a fashionable manner, wherein the device does not use sticky materials, does not pierce the fabric, does not permanently alter the article of clothing, and can be moved to different positions to alter the size of the article of clothing. At the end of the day the present invention can harmlessly be removed from the item and so be available for the next clothing item to be worn.

Additionally, the present invention can be utilized on any surface of clothing items as an accent or to alter how the item fits without damaging the clothing item. By gathering the fabric in various places and attaching the device, users are able to custom fit clothing items. The present invention can also be used to anchor accessory clothing items in place so they do not shift as the wearer moves throughout the day. Likewise, the device has the flexibility of turning items like ribbon or lace into a belt or headband.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an apparel altering device includes a first portion, the first portion dimensioned to mimic a conventional button; a second portion; and a spacer spacing apart the first and second portions.

In another aspect of the present invention the apparel altering device includes a first portion, the first portion dimensioned to be a shape and a size of a conventional button, wherein a first diameter of the first portion is between one half and three inches; a second portion; a spacer spacing apart the first and second portions, wherein said first diameter is two to four times that of a diameter of the spacer; and a non-slip material disposed along an outer surface of the second portion.

In yet another aspect of the present invention a method of temporarily altering an article of clothing includes the following steps: providing the apparel altering device; forming a sack from an excess portion of a material of the article of clothing, the sack defining a cavity and a neck portion, the neck portion interconnecting the cavity to an opening communicating to a remaining portion of said material; urging the second portion into the cavity; wrapping an elastic band about the neck portion for urging the neck portion against the spacer, wherein the first portion protrudes through the opening, and wherein the spacer and the second portion are not visible through the opening.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown prior to insertion;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an apparel altering device and a method of using the same. The apparel altering device has a spacer spacing apart a first and second portions. A user interested in altering an article of clothing, may gather or bunch excess material thereof to form a sack, which communicates via an opening to the remaining portion of the material. Before or after the user urges the second portion into the cavity portion defined by the formed sack, an elastic band can choke a neck portion of the sack against the spacer, whereby the article of clothing is taken in or otherwise altered, while the second portion protrudes outside the sack in a manner akin to a fashion accessory.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, the present invention may include an apparel altering device 12. The apparel altering device 12 may include a first portion 14 and a spaced apart second portion 16.

The first and second portions 14 and 16 may be spaced apart by a spacer 22. The spacer 22 may be sandwiched between the first and second portions 14 and 16 by the urging of a fastener 20. The fastener 20 may connect the spacer 22 to the first portion 14 and/or the second portion 16. In certain embodiments, the fastener 20 may be an elastic cord that extends from the first portion 14 to the second portion 16, urging the sandwiching of the spacer 22 therebetween, thereby securing the three components together: the first and second portions and spacer 14, 16 and 22. The elastic cord could be fed through two holes 24 in either the first portion 14 or the second portion 16 and the tubular spacer 22 and tied off at either the first or second portion 14 or 16. In some embodiments, the first portion 14 or the second portion 16 may have a perpendicularly joined post 28 having post holes 26 for receiving and securing the fastener 20 thereto. The post 28 may be received in the lumen of the tubular spacer 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, during use. A non-slip substance 30 may be applied along the surface of the second portion 16.

Referring to FIG. 7, a method of using the present invention may include the following. The apparel altering device 12 disclosed above may be provided along with an elastic band 18. A user interested in custom sizing or altering of an article of apparel or clothing or any material 10—for example, a user wanted to taper a trouser leg, slim down a sleeve, take in a shirt, or the like—may gather an excess portion of the material 10, essentially forming a “sack” 40 of said portion of material 10, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Then the user may wrap the elastic band 18 around a neck portion 44 of the sack 40 adjacent to the opening 42 thereof. The elastic band 18 biases the neck portion in a closed configuration. Then the user may push the second portion 16 through the opening 42 past the elastic band 18 into the cavity formed by the sack 40. The elastic band 18 urges the neck portion 44 against the spacer 22 while the first portion 14 protrudes outside the sack 44 along a surface of the now altered material 10. The first portion 14 may be dimensioned to appear to be one of many conventional button shapes and colors, with design possibly disposed there along. For example, the diameter of the first portion 14 may range from half to three inches.

In certain methods, the material 10 may first be flipped over onto a backside thereof before forming the sack 40, in which case the material 10 is flipped back over right side up before sliding the second portion 16 through the opening 42.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparel altering device, comprising: a first portion, the first portion dimensioned to be a shape and a size of a conventional button; a second portion; and a spacer spacing apart the first and second portions.
 2. The apparel altering device of claim 1, further comprising: a post transversely extending from the first portion or the second portion; and a lumen provided by the spacer, wherein the post is received in the lumen.
 3. The apparel altering device of claim 2, further comprising: an elastic cord extending through the lumen and between the first and second portion for urging the first and second portions together to sandwich the spacer.
 4. The apparel altering device of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the first portion is two to four times that of a diameter of the spacer.
 5. The apparel altering device of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the first portion is between one half and three inches.
 6. The apparel altering device of claim 1, further comprising a non-slip material disposed along an outer surface of the second portion.
 7. An apparel altering device, comprising: a first portion, the first portion dimensioned to be a shape and a size of a conventional button, wherein a first diameter of the first portion is between one half and three inches; a second portion; a spacer spacing apart the first and second portions, wherein said first diameter is two to four times that of a diameter of the spacer; and a non-slip material disposed along an outer surface of the second portion.
 8. A method of temporarily altering an article of clothing, comprising the steps of: providing the apparel altering device of claim 1; forming a sack from an excess portion of a material of the article of clothing; the sack defining a cavity and a neck portion, the neck portion interconnecting the cavity to an opening communicating to a remaining portion of said material; urging the second portion into the cavity; and wrapping an elastic band about the neck portion for urging the neck portion against the spacer.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first portion protrudes through the opening.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the spacer and the second portion are not visible through the opening.
 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of flipping the article of clothing inside out prior to forming the sack.
 12. A method of temporarily altering an article of clothing, comprising the steps of: providing the apparel altering device of claim 7; forming a sack from an excess portion of a material of the article of clothing; the sack defining a cavity and a neck portion, the neck portion interconnecting the cavity to an opening communicating to a remaining portion of said material; urging the second portion into the cavity; and wrapping an elastic band about the neck portion for urging the neck portion against the spacer, wherein the first portion protrudes through the opening, and wherein the spacer and the second portion are not visible through the opening.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of flipping the article of clothing inside out prior to forming the sack. 